Signal for automobiles



F. C. ROBERTS.

SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16. 1916.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

WI I'M UNITED STA ES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND C. ROBERTS, OF' DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SIGNAL FOB AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Application filed October 16, 1916. Serial No. 125,793.

tain new and useful Improvements in Signals for Automobiles, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being bad therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a signal for automobiles and to an arrangementthereof whereby the desired warnings are easily seen and whereby thelicense plate is likewise illuminated, all with an expenditure of aminimum amount of'electric energy.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view partially in longitudinal section and partiallybroken away and in elevation, of a device embodying features of theinvention;

Fig. 2is a view in transverse section therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic'view of the electric connections; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the device, on reduced scale:

As herein shown in preferred form a substantially rectangular maincasing 1 has a longitudinal upright wall 2 therethrough which isextended forwardly as at 3, to form a signal box interior which isilluminated by a bulb 4 mounted appropriately on the wall 2. An openingover which there is a plate 5 of transparent material, such as glass orthe like, is formed in the bottom of the main casing back of thepartition 2 in such way that a bulb 6 that is mounted on the back wall 7of-the casing may throw light therethrough and thus illuminate anylicense plate 8 that may be secured as by screws and slots 9 in adepending rear wall 10. An

arched hood 11 over the top of the casing houses the bulb 6 and theinterior thereof is preferably burnished or polished to act as areflector. A bulls eye 12 or the like is mounted in the front wall 13 ofthe hood, said wall being an extension of the front of the casing andbeing hinged as at 14, to permit the inspection of the interior. Asuitably lettered translucent or transparent plate 15 forms the lowerpanel of the casing door in front of the bulb 4, the indicia thereonbeing such as to be visible by reflected light in the day time and bytransmltted light at night. A suitable bracket 16 on the rear wallpermits the mounting of phehpasmg in the usual position "of a tail Thesource of electrical energy indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 3 at 17,being in the usual ignition system or like system used on vehicles, isconnected in series through the leads 18 to' the lamps 6 and 4. A switch19 near the operators station on the Vehicle is connected through ashunt line 20 with the leads 18 so that when the switch 19 is closed,the resulting shunt therethrough causes the lamp 4 to glow and cuts offthe tail light 6. The voltage of the tail light 6 isso proportioned inrelation to that of .the lamp 4, that In normally operating conditions,with the switch 19 0 en, the tail lamp 6 glows and the lamp 4 oes not. Apermanent cut out swltch 21 throws the lamp 6 out of commission in thedaylight.

As a result of this construction, a very efiicient, easily operated andsimple signal is obtained which performs the usual function of a taillight, a traflic signal, and an illuminating lamp for the license plate.Ordinarily the'volta e of the tail light and intermittent use 0 thehigher voltage lamp is no serious drain upon the source of energy, whichif it is a storage battery, should not have any continuous drain of anyappreciable amount upon it. I

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention and I do 1. In tail lightconstruction wherein a pair of lamps are supported to illuminate twoindependent warning signals and a license number plate, means forsupporting the elements in relative positions, said means including acasing havin a body portion having a partition to divide the bodyportion into two compartments arranged in front and rear relation, thevertical portion of the partition carrying one of such lamps located inthe front compartment in rear of one of the signals, a hood overlyingboth compartments and in open communication with the rear compartment,said hood carrying-the second signal, a lamp for the second signalsupported by the rear wall of the easing and positioned above said rearcompartment and Within the hood, said secondicompartment having a bottomadapted to permit passage of light rays therethrough, a license numberplate Supported by the rear Wall of the casing to osition it in rear ofsuch light rays, an lamp connections located within the rearcompartment, the lamps and connections being so disposed as to permitsubstantially unobstructed passage of light rays from the second lamp tosaid compartment bottom.

2. Construction of the type of claim 1, characterized by means forcontrolling the activity of the lamps at will, said means including apair of make and break devices within the circuit connections andoperative to control the activity of the lamps individually, saidcircuit connections and lamp construction being operative to preventconcurrent illuminating of signals, one of said 20 devices beingoperative by its make and break action to select the signal to be illuminated When the other device is in circuit closing position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 26

